@article {310544,
	title = {HLA-DRB1* allele-associated genetic susceptibility and protection against multiple sclerosis in Brazilian patients.},
	journal = {Mol Med Rep},
	volume = {2},
	year = {2009},
	month = {11/2009},
	pages = {993-8},
	abstract = {<p>Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune demyelinating disease of the central nervous system that causes neurological disorders in young adults. Previous studies in various populations highlighted an association between the HLA-DRB1*15 allele and MS. This study investigated the association between HLA-DRB1*15 and other HLA-DRB1 alleles and MS in a Brazilian Caucasian population sample from Londrina, Southern Brazil. HLA-DRB1 alleles were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction with specific sequence oligonucleotide primers in 119 MS patients and in 305 healthy blood donors as a control. Among the MS patients, 89 (75.0\%) presented with relapsing remitting MS, 24 (20.0\%) with secondary progressive MS and 6 (5.0\%) with primary progressive MS. The frequency of the HLA-DRB1*15 allele observed in the MS Brazilian patients was similar to findings reported in previous studies carried out in populations worldwide. However, the results showed a higher frequency of the HLA-DRB1*15 allele in the MS patients compared to the controls, with a relative frequency of 0.1050 (10.50\%) and 0.0443 (4.4\%), respectively (OR=2.53; 95\% CI 1.43-4.46; p=0.0009). A protector allele was also detected. The frequency of the HLA-DRB1*11 allele was reduced in the MS patients compared to the controls, with a relative frequency of 0.1345 (13.4\%) and 0.1869 (18.7\%), respectively (OR=0.67; 95\% CI 0.44-1.03; p=0.0692). The results demonstrated that the HLA-DRB1*15 allele in heterozygosity is positively associated with MS (p=0.0079), and may be considered a genetic marker of susceptibility to the disease. A negative association between the HLA-DRB1*11 allele in homozygosity and MS was also verified (p=0.0418); this allele may be considered a genetic marker of resistance to MS in the Brazilian population.</p>
},
	issn = {1791-3004},
	doi = {10.3892/mmr_00000204},
	author = {Kaimen-Maciel, Damacio R and Reiche, Edna Maria V and Borelli, Sueli D and Morimoto, Helena K and Melo, Fabiano C and Lopes, Josiane and Dorigon, Raffael F and Cavalet, Christiane and Yamaguchi, Elton M and Silveira, Thiago L and Da Silva, Waldir V and Comini-Frota, Elizabeth R and Brum Souza, Doralina G and Donadi, Eduardo A}
}
